AL East Notes: Shields, Wigginton, Betancourt

Links from the AL East, which remains the only division without a sub-.500 team…

The Rays are 'cooler' on the idea of trading James Shields, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (onTwitter). It's difficult for Tampa Bay to act as a buyer because the positions at which they might seek upgrades, shortstop and catcher, are positions of scarcity in MLB.

Ty Wigginton isn't at the top of the Yankees' list of potentially useful third basemen, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The Yankees are looking for someone who can provide defense at the hot corner.

The Yankees haven't contacted the Rockies about Rafael Betancourt, and it's doubtful the Rockies will trade him at all, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (on Twitter). The Orioles, Athletics, Rangers,Braves, Red Sox and Blue Jays have all been linked to Betancourt.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman said the Yankees can't take on a substantial contract, so Bryan Hoch of MLB.com says Yankees fans shouldn't expect to see Cliff Lee in navy pinstripes anytime soon (Twitterlinks). Cashman said it's possible but unlikely that the Yankees will make a trade before tomorrow's deadline, Hoch writes. "I highly doubt it," the GM said.

Used to be a corny car commercial that went “Just one look, that’s all it took” Anyway… That is all it takes to see how awful Wiggy is at 3b, or was even when he was with the Rays and he wasn’t even well into his 30’s then.

Hey Cashman.. Why don’t you go and find which team (last year it was Anaheim) that has Jorge Cantu stashed away at AAA?